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Last Chance to Download Windows 7 Beta!

Posted 02/10/09 at 01:20:57 PM  by Paul Lilly

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Procrastinators take note, your window of opportunity to beta test Microsoft's next operating system is closing fast. You have until 11:59 PM PST today to begin downloading Windows 7 (from Microsoft, anyway), and will have until 9 AM PST Thursday to finish the download, Microsoft said. It's the general public who are being cut off by tonight's deadline; MSDN and TechNet subscribers will still have access.

If you miss the deadline, you'll have another opportunity when Microsoft releases its next test version of Windows 7, which the software maker says will closely resemble the final release. When that version of Windows 7 will arrive has not yet been announced.

This is also a good time to remind users that Windows Vista beta testers who submitted a legitimate bug report ended up being eligible to receive a free copy of Vista Business or Ultimate. Microsoft has made no mention of doing anything similar for Windows 7 beta testers, so you'll have to decide for yourself how motivated you are to spend some hands-on time with Vista's successor.

COMMENTS:5
TAGS: microsoft, operating system, Software, OS, beta, windows 7
COMMENTS
avatarNo Freebies

Submitted by ProtoJMB on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 8:35pm

If you read the FAQ's on the Windows 7 site, MS specifically says NO FREEBIES.

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avatarHow do you submit bugs? I

Submitted by patrickmaher on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 4:45pm

How do you submit bugs? I know there is a Submit Feedback link at the top of every program but that didn't collect any information that would identify who submitted the bug. On top of that the Send Feedback form seems more like a survey than a bug report tool.

How did submitting bugs work with the Vista beta?

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avatarThe send feedback sends your

Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 5:03pm

The send feedback sends your beta key information with it so they know who you are. You just type a description of your bug and choose what area of the OS it's in in that drop down list. 

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avatarBy beta key do you mean the

Submitted by patrickmaher on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 5:45pm

By beta key do you mean the product key used to install/activate Windows 7? As far as I have seen the keys are not unique. There are about 5 shared keys for each version, 32-bit and 64-bit.

Maybe in Vista they used unique keys for the beta?

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avatarI've reported a few bugs

Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 12:33pm

I've reported a few bugs with no replies from MS. So I doubt any such program is going on this time around. Besides I think they are stretched too thin on cash to offer any freebies this time around as well.

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